Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Overview

May 19, 2019 - May 23, 2019

The Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference is the premier training and networking event for both seasoned and aspiring writers and speakers. This event allows participants the ideal opportunity to interact with editors, agents, professional writers and readers, offering outstanding workshops and continuing classes in a wide array of creative categories. Whether you are a professional writer expanding your skills and networking contacts, or a brand new writer just beginning to chase your dream, this Christian Writers Conference is the ideal opportunity to take your creative goals to a higher level.

Allow the quiet serenity of the Blue Ridge Mountains at LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center, near Asheville, North Carolina to provide you with freshness and inspiration as you discover unique ways to sharpen and improve your writing abilities.

Ridgecrest BRMCWC Pricing:

Program Fee - $350 per person Sunday - Thursday and New for 2019 we will have an optional one-day post-conference* session with Donald Maass for an additional $150.00 per person that includes breakfast and lunch on Friday. (anyone staying off campus pays a $25 facility fee in addition to the program fees.)

Accommodations- $70 per night/Pritchell, $80 per night/Maple, $90 per night for Queen/Queen room, or $100 per night for King room/Rhododendron or Mountain Laurel West.

SELAH finalists and their guests attending the awards ceremony and reception only - $20.00 per person and reservations must be made in before 5.18.18 by calling 800.588.7222!

To make reservations for this great event please call 1.800.588.7222 or click here.

Registration and check in on Sunday begin at 3:00 pm. For a pdf of the complete BRMCWC schedule (typically posted in April) visit: blueridgeconference.com. The conference begins with Dinner at 5:30 pm on Sunday and concludes with Lunch on Thursday from 12-1 pm.

Donald Maass founded the Donald Maass Literary Agency in New York in 1980. His agency sells more than 150 novels every year to major publishers in the U.S. and overseas. He is the author of The Career Novelist (1996),Writing the Breakout Novel (2001), Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook (2004), The Fire in Fiction (2009) , The Breakout Novelist (2011) and Writing 21st Century Fiction (2012). He is a past president of the Association of Authors’ Representatives, Inc.

He will be teaching an all-day class: THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION: How to Tell the Story Beneath the Surface - The emotional effect of fiction on readers is a craft. Based on psychological research and study of what makes novels emotionally gripping, this intensive workshop takes participants beyond showing or telling to create an emotional journey for readers—one unseen but nevertheless deeply felt and ultimately unforgettable.

This is an intensive, hands-on workshop. Participants should bring a WIP and writing materials.

Friday, May 24, 2019, the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference will hold a post-conference with distinguished literary agent Donald Maass. Donald Maass founded the Donald Maass Literary Agency in New York in 1980. His agency sells more than 150 novels every year to major publishers in the U.S. and overseas. He is the author of The Career Novelist (1996),Writing the Breakout Novel (2001), Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook (2004), The Fire in Fiction (2009) , The Breakout Novelist (2011) and Writing 21st Century Fiction (2012). He is a past president of the Association of Authors’ Representatives, Inc. He will be teaching an all-day class: THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION: How to Tell the Story Beneath the Surface - The emotional effect of fiction on readers is a craft. Based on psychological research and study of what makes novels emotionally gripping, this intensive workshop takes participants beyond showing or telling to create an emotional journey for readers—one unseen but nevertheless deeply felt and ultimately unforgettable. This is an intensive, hands-on workshop. Participants should bring a WIP and writing materials.

Our Reason for Being. Why we do what we do, and what we hope to achieve. We exist:

To provide the best training in the field of Christian writing.

To provide training for all levels of writers.

To equip writers to use their talents to enhance and advance the Kingdom of God.

To provide a place and time of spiritual retreat for writers and publishing professionals.

To create a community of Christian writers.

To become the “go-to” conference for faculty and editors.

Mission statement: We exist to educate, edify, and encourage the Christian writer.

As a registered conferee, we wanted to be sure to provide you with the following valuable information. We hope it will make preparing for the conference stress-free.

CLASSESAt BRMCWC—for the most part—we do NOT require writers to sign up for classes beforehand. We actually encourage them to ask God to reveal what classes He would have you engage in. A list of classes are on our website. On opening night, we’ll have the faculty introduce themselves and give a brief description of what they’re teaching.

Note: The only exception to this is practicums. Some (like Eva Marie Everson’s Fiction practicum and a few others) require advance sign up. To register for a practicum, e-mail the instructor directly. Their information is listed with the class offerings.

All of our classes are labeled with two distinctions:

Practicum, Continuing Class, or Workshop.

A practicum is a hands-on class. It can be a stand-alone workshop (a single session) or a continuing class.

A continuing class has new material every day that builds upon itself. These can be 2, 3 or 4 days in length.

A workshop offers all the material in a single session. Many of our workshops are repeated more than once, but the presenter offers the same material each time.

Act I, Act II, and Act III.

Act I classes are for beginning or new writers in that specific area. For example, an established non-fiction writer who has lots of experience might be a beginner when it comes to writing fiction.

Act II classes are for intermediate writers who may or may not be published in that specific area but have writing experience.

Act III classes are for advanced writers who have published multiple books, articles, etc.

15-MINUTE APPOINTMENTSThese are scheduled times when a writer has the opportunity to privately speak to an author, agent, or editor of his/her choice. These special appointments are for the writer to discuss writing, engage in brainstorming, or ask burning questions. You do NOT have to pay for these appointments, they are included as part of your conferee experience.

Writers do NOT sign up for 15-minute appointments until they are at the conference.

In the meantime, consider who you may want to schedule an appointment with, because after our first group meeting on opening night, you’ll be able to choose two people to meet with and sign up for those appointments. The next morning, you’ll be allowed back into the room to set up any more appointments you’d like. We request you only sign up for two the first night so that everyone has an opportunity to meet with the faculty members they would like to.

PAID CRITIQUESSeveral of our faculty members offer to critique writing and meet with writers at the conference. Critiques cost $30 each, and a list of faculty members who are available for critiques, along with their guidelines, will be located on the Blue Ridge Conference website. Please be sure to follow the submission guidelines for each specific faculty member.

These will be IN ADDITION to the regular 15-minute appointments and are paid appointments.

On opening night at the conference, check the faculty member’s appointment sheet BEFORE signing up for a chosen 15-minute appointment. The faculty member who has critiqued your manuscript will have already designated a time to meet with you on his/her appointment sheet. After confirming the time designated by the faculty member, a conferee may sign up for two additional appointments. Critique appointments don’t apply against those two appointments.

The BRMCWC Foundation Awards Contest: This has previously been known as the Unpublished Contest. A writer must be registered for the entire conference in order to compete. If a writer has been paid in any publication category, then the writer is ineligible for this contest in that category. (For example, if a publication paid a writer for a devotion, then the writer may not enter the contest in the devotion category, but the writer may enter in a different category.) A writer may enter in more than one category, but the conference contest accepts only one entry per category.

The Director’s Choice Award: The Director’s Choice Award is given to a published writer who is a past or current conferee. You’ve worked hard and it is our pleasure to recognize your achievement. We accept both fiction and non-fiction books for this contest.

The Selah Awards: The Selah Awards are open to all published authors whose books were published between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017 with either traditional or nontraditional publishers. If the book is co-authored, both authors must sign the entry form.

The 2019 Awards Ceremony and Dessert Reception. This event takes place on Wednesday evening and isn’t an event that must be registered for separately. It is an opportunity to dress up—IF YOU CHOOSE. Writers will find our faculty in glittering evening wear, and this is our opportunity to celebrate all of our attendees’ hard work by honoring them with awards. The results of all three contests will be announced during this time. There isn’t a formal dress code for the Awards Banquet. It’s as dressy as the writer wants to be. Some will wear tuxes or cocktail dresses or gowns. Others will wear their Sunday best, and still others will be in nice jeans and a polo or dress shirt. It’s really up to the individual how to dress, but we want writers to have the information needed to be comfortable in all situations.

GENERAL INFORMATIONHeadshots: One opportunity that we like to offer our conferees is the chance to have professional headshots taken by our conference photographer. You will notice Mary Denman snapping pictures throughout the conference. She will also have an appointment sheet for writers can sign up to meet with her and have their professional photo taken. There is a minimal cost for this service, and there will be information on that on our conference website.

Bookstore: Our bookstore will operate out of Johnson Spring this year. Lifeway Asheville will be coming in for our conference and will have books for sale near the appointment room. If a book isn’t available on site, and LifeWay Asheville has it at the local bookstore, the purchaser will have the option to pick it up at the conference bookstore the following day.

Conference Booklet: For those who’ve attended the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in the past, you’ve grown accustomed to receiving a conference booklet in the registration packet that is distributed upon arrival. This year, we are “modernizing.” All of the faculty bios, class descriptions, etc. will be available online at the Blue Ridge Conference website. The schedule will be provided to you as a hard copy, tri-fold brochure.

Class Recordings: We do offer the opportunity for conference attendees to buy a package ($70.00) of conference recordings.

What to Wear: General Conference attire is business casual. We encourage each writer to dress comfortably. There is a lot of walking up and down hills, so be sure to pack comfortable shoes.

Stay Current on Changes: Within the conference, many changes often occur, so we encourage writers to frequently check the website for new information. by going to www.BlueRidgeConference.com. By singing up for email updates, you will receive new information as it’s posted.

Facebook Page: We also encourage you to LIKE our Facebook page, another place where we disseminate information regularly.

Moderated Facebook Group: If you are a first-time attendee or want to ask questions and network with other attendees and faculty members, please join our Blue Ridge Conference Writers Group. We will post weekly countdown articles filled with information for newbies. We’ve taken our most Frequently Asked Questions and answered them for you. And if you’re a previous or regular attendee, please feel free to join the group and chime in. Newbies always love the encouragement of others who’ve gone before them. NOTE: this is a moderated group so new members must apply to join. This is to ensure we are protected from spammers.

Again, if you have any questions concerning the conference, we encourage all writers to join the Blue Ridge Conference Writers Facebook Group. That is the best place to receive answers, as we have moderators keeping an eye on the conversation at all times. Conference planning is hard work, and Edie and DiAnn may not always be available to answer individual questions quickly, although we try! Please join the group